OF THE POLAR SEA. 



Ill 



vious to the report of the gun Mr. Hood 

 and Michel were speaking to each other in 

 an elevated angry tone ; that Mr. Hood, 

 being seated at the fire-side, was hid from 

 him by intervening willows, but that on 

 hearing the report he looked up and saw 

 Michel rising up from before the tent- door, 

 or just behind where Mr. Hood was seated, 

 and then going into the tent. Thinking 

 that the gun had been discharged for the 

 purpose of cleaning it, he did not go to the 

 fire at first ; and when Michel called to him 

 that Mr. Hood was dead, a considerable 

 time had elapsed. Although I dared not 

 openly to evince any suspicion that I thought 

 Michel guilty of the deed, yet he repeatedly 

 protested that he was incapable of commit- 

 ting such an act, kept constantly on his 

 guard, and carefully avoided leaving Hep- 

 burn and me together. He was evidently 

 afraid of permitting us to converse in pri- 

 vate, and whenever Hepburn spoke, he in- 

 quired if he accused him of the murder. It 

 is to be remarked, that he understood Eng- 

 lish very imperfectly, yet sufficiently to 



